Page 63 of City of Salvation

The whole fucking club knew why I’d done it—there was no way he didn’t. But I was tired of this whole game and wanted to get back to Nikki before we had to make an appearance at the clubhouse tonight.

“You’re lucky I’m not in the mood tonight, Boe, or I’d have made sure you needed skin grafts,” I said, my words laced with malice as I pulled him away, dropping him in a pile at my feet. The left side of his face was an angry red with blisters bubbling under the skin. The sheen glistened under the moonlight. It would hurt like a mother fucker when the wind hit them on the ride back.

Singed hair and flesh wafted between us, making my stomach turn. No matter how many times I’d smelled that, itnever got easier to stomach. “Do you need another demonstration on whether I’m good at my job,brother?”

He shook his head, tears rolling down his cheeks, leaving streaks of dirt in their wake.

I turned on my heel and strode away. “Good, now fucking stay out here until the body’s gone. Call when you need a ride.”

Torque jogged to catch up. “He’s got his bike here, Dex. He won’t need a ride.”

The click of my switchblade brought a smile to my face. “He will now,” I said, jamming the knife into the tire of his hog. The low hissing sound of air escaping was music to my ears.

Murphy’s brow shot up, but he was smart enough not to say shit. Messing with a brother’s ride was as bad as fucking their old lady.

Sacrilegious.

Damnit, I needed a vacation. Or at least for the shit not to hit the fan for a while.

“Let’s go, I’ve got my woman I need to check on.”

Shit. Why had I called her mine?

CHAPTER 27

DEX

REMEMBER, FRIENDS DON’T SUCK ON EACH OTHER’S TONGUES

“Where the fuck have you been?”I called out the moment Nikki walked into the apartment. There was probably steam coming out the top of my head, I was so pissed at her. I’d fully expected her to be home when I’d come home.

“Huh?” she asked, kicking off a pair of beat-up Vans.

“Where. Did. You. Go?” I bit out, pinching the bridge of my nose and counting down from twenty. She was not supposed to have been out tromping around god knows where after a fucking shoot-out.

When she answered, her tone was thick with attitude. “I was with Ryan, Dex. Remember, you sent me away after the car chase, telling me you needed me somewhere safe?”

Right.

I opened my eyes and moved closer, caging her between me and the front door with my arms. “There’s a fucking bounty on your perky little ass. There was no way in hell I was going to keep you out in the open,” I growled. The brat had the nerve to laugh instead of feeling ashamed. “At least act like you’re sorry for giving me fucking gray hairs when Icame back, and you were gone.” I cupped her face, needing to feel her soft skin.

I really had freaked the fuck out when I came home to an empty apartment. She’d had thirty more seconds before I went out and hunted her down. And I would have torn apart the fucking town to find her.

“Were you worried about me, Dexy?” she asked, her voice huskier than normal, challenging me.

Her cheek was soft and warm under my thumb, and I couldn’t resist stroking it. Her breath hitched, drawing attention to her glossy lips. God, I’d wondered what they would feel like against mine.

I hadn’t kissed a woman on the mouth in who knew how long. I never wanted to. It was too intimate and gave my hookups false hope that we might become something more. But now, staring at her pouty lips, I wondered if she’d be soft and gentle or fight me for dominance.

“We should probably practice before tonight,” she whispered, her chest rising and falling a bit faster than it had been. Her tongue poked out, swiping along her bottom lip. It took a moment for my brain to register what she meant, but the moment I did, I slammed my mouth against hers.

My free hand came up and tangled in her hair, holding her in place as our mouths meshed.

Fuck, she was delicious.

I went deeper, pushing her up against the door as my tongue explored hers. Her fingers twisted in my shirt, drawing me in, but there was nowhere else to go unless I was inside her. A groan escaped me at the thought. My dick ached with how hard it was.

All over a fucking kiss.

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